


Forest of Dean

by onlyou



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Post-Hogwarts, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 10:36:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15884331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onlyou/pseuds/onlyou
Summary: Harry talks of growing old with Hermione at the Forest of Dean. DRABBLE! Set 48 years after the war.





	Forest of Dean

_"Forest of Dean. I came here once with Mom and Dad. That was years ago. It's just how I remember it. The trees, the river, everything. Like nothing's changed; not true of course. Everything's changed. If I brought them back here now, they'd probably not recognize any of it. Not the trees, not the river... not even me. Maybe we should just stay here, Harry. Grow old."_

* * * 

The steady rise and fall of Hermione's chest told Harry that she was fast asleep. For the past 48 years, he's learned that the only way to know if she really was asleep is through the steady rhythm of her breathing. He pulled her closer to his body, his hands firmly wrapped around her waist. He brought his free hand to her face and caressed it, his cold fingertips making her flinch.

He recalled how she looked like 48 years ago in his arms and in the exact same place. He recalled her mousse brown hair, how their curls seemed to have a mind of its' own, sometimes tamed and others not so. He recalled the way she slept in his arms those nights she couldn't sleep, those days she couldn't move, those days she was disabled. He remembered the feel of her body against him, the coldness of her cheeks, the redness of her lips. He remembered them all even after 48 years has passed.

At the age of 65 Harry couldn't have found her more beautiful. Her cream complexion was masked with signs of aging, the lines under her eyes and mouth pulling her features down. Parts of her hair have turned gray, yet others still a honey colored brown. Her hands, as he took it into his, were not as soft as before. Instead, they were marked with battle scars.

"Darling." He whispered affectionately in her ears. She opened her eyes slowly, fixing on his as she met up his gaze. "How can you look so beautiful?"

She smiled brightly, her eyes twinkling with happiness. "Why did you bring me here, Harry?"

"You wanted to grow old here, Hermione." He reminded her. "You wanted to stay here with me and grow old."

She chuckled at the memory. "We were kids, Harry. Barely 20."

"And look at you now."

She gave him a quirky smile and closed her eyes. "Look at me now. I'm old."

"You're beautiful, Hermione." He whispered. "You've never looked better. Time isn't our friend you know. We could keep hiding, on and on and on but death would find us soon."

"I know that, Harry."

He held both of her hands firmly, kissing her fingers. "Then grow old with me, Hermione. Grow old with me here."

**Author's Note:**

> This was a small drabble I wrote years ago and figured I should share it here instead, with minor revisions to a couple of grammar errors (there's probably more in here that I missed lol). I was watching Deathly Hollows nd I just adored that scene in The Forest of Dean.


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